The present invention relates to safety devices, alarms and locks and, more particularly, to safety devices, alarms and locks for firearms.
Gun locks are used to reduce the incidence of accidental or unauthorized discharge of firearms. Trigger locks inhibit access to the trigger of the firearm in an effort to prevent operation of the trigger to fire the firearm. Trigger locks typically consist of two main assemblies that are mounted and locked together over or around the trigger guard and trigger of the firearm, thereby blocking access to the trigger.
Known trigger locks are, however, inadequate. Locks that employ a key to lock the two assemblies to each other on the firearm are of very limited use to those who own firearms for self defense, since ready access to the key may not be available in a perceived emergency, and, in any event, proper and quick use of the key to unlock the lock may be difficult or impossible given the stressful nature of the emergency situation.
Some of the less expensive trigger locks, often called xe2x80x9cplastic bubbles,xe2x80x9d are plastic, and use a screw to attach the two assemblies to the firearm. These locks are fragile, and are easily removed from the firearm simply by breaking them. Additionally, the screw provides very little security, even against removal by young children who are able to use a screwdriver or other tool to remove the lock from the firearm. Further, removal of the screw is much more difficult than the use of a key in emergency situations.
Some trigger locks employ an integral mechanical combination lock to lock the assemblies to the firearm. These locks typically employ mechanical keypads with small numbered buttons or dials that are used to enter the numbered code to unlock the lock and remove it from the firearm. Manipulating the dials or operating the keypad is difficult in the dark or under stress, either or both of which conditions typically exist in an emergency situation. Locks that employ lights to illuminate the dials or keypads reveal for an intruder the position of the user when operated.
Perhaps the most inadequate feature of existing trigger locks is the manner in which access to and operation of the trigger is blocked. Many existing locks use small, fragile, hollow, plastic spring loaded pins that, presumably, are designed to pop up within the trigger guard when the lock is mounted to a firearm to fix the lock in a position that will block access to and retard movement of the trigger, as well as prevent movement of the lock on the firearm. These pins are easily broken, often unintentionally, and do not adequately secure the trigger lock to the firearm.
Often, the trigger lock itself can be used to fire a firearm after the lock is locked in place. If the trigger lock is mounted on a loaded firearm with a hammer that can be cocked, the lock will not prevent cocking the firearm. The locked firearm can be cocked and then fired by forcing the lock toward the rear of the firearm until the internal pin, or some other component of the lock, contacts the trigger and fires the firearm. This can happen unintentionally if the locked firearm is dropped onto a hard surface on the rear of the grip frame. When the frame hits the surface, the lock, due to its weight, can continue in motion and actuate the trigger.
Moreover, firearms equipped with trigger locks that have no alarm can be loaded and fired easily by a child, intentionally or by accident, either by breaking the lock or using the lock itself to fire the firearm. If using a safety device without an alarm, the gun owner or parent has no warning that a child has taken a firearm.
There exists, therefore, a need for a child safety device that incorporates an alarm and a lock for a firearm that is more effective in blocking access to and operation of the trigger, that can be easily and quickly removed from a firearm in an emergency situation, and that provides a warning that the firearm has been moved by an unauthorized person.
The present invention provides a lock for a firearm, the lock including a trigger guard clamp that can be secured to the trigger guard of the firearm to immobilize the lock on the firearm, and a locking mechanism that can be used to lock the lock onto the firearm in a position that blocks access to and actuation of the trigger of the firearm, and to unlock the lock. Preferably, the lock includes a pair of assemblies that can be locked together by the locking mechanism on the firearm to block access to and actuation of the trigger of the firearm. The lock also can include an alarm that is sounded when the lock is moved or broken to alert the owner that an unauthorized person has accessed the firearm. The alarm can be enabled and disabled using an input device, such as a keypad. Preferably, the alarm allows a preselected period of time to pass after the lock has been moved before the alarm is sounded to permit the lock to be unlocked by authorized persons, the unlocking of the lock disabling the alarm.
The present invention also provides a safety device for a firearm that blocks access to and actuation of the trigger of the firearm. The safety device includes a pair of assemblies that can be mounted on the firearm in a position in which access to and actuation of the trigger of the firearm is blocked, a locking mechanism that can be used to lock the assemblies together on the firearm, and unlock the assemblies from each other to permit removal of the assemblies from the firearm, and a locking clamp. that can be secured to the firearm to immobilize the lock with respect to the firearm. Preferably, the safety device includes an input device for operating the locking mechanism, and an alarm that is sounded a preselected time after movement of the safety device. The alarm can be enabled and disabled by using the input device. The safety device can include an indicator light that is energized when the alarm is enabled.
The present invention also provides an alarm device for a firearm that includes a lock that blocks access to and actuation of the trigger of the firearm, a locking clamp that is mounted to the firearm and the lock that immobilizes the lock with respect to the firearm, and an alarm that is sounded when the lock is moved. Preferably, the alarm device includes an input device, such as a keypad, that is used to enable and disable the alarm, and the alarm is sounded a predetermined time following movement of the lock unless the alarm is disabled. The input device can be used to lock and unlock the lock.
The present invention also provides a locking clamp device for a trigger lock including a body that defines a cutout that fits over the front of the trigger guard of a firearm, a locking hook that is positioned forward of the trigger guard when the clamp device is mounted to the firearm, and a mechanism that is used to clamp the clamp device to the trigger guard to stabilize the position of the clamp device with respect to the trigger guard.